


Another Arrangement

by Fyre



Category: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 16:51:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13127694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fyre/pseuds/Fyre
Summary: One night, Frank Caffrey met a man in a pub.





	Another Arrangement

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mechanonymouse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mechanonymouse/gifts).



It was an arrangement.

That’s what Nightingale called it from the off. Mind you, first time he met the bloke, Frank had taken it for a come-on, not a job. He’d been down his local with some of the lads when Nightingale swanned in with that stick and those manners. He’d only have stood out more if he was on fire. 

Most people got nervous when they were surrounded by Frank’s lads. Never meant to, but they were big lads, hard, and people could tell. Nightingale was never one of them. He sat and smiled and offered his arrangement. When Frank told him where to stick it, Nightingale didn’t even look surprised. He just withdrew a card from the inside pocket of his fancy coat and slid it across the table.

“For your consideration,” was all he said, then turned and swept out as if he owned the place. 

Frank shoved the card in his pocket and didn’t even think about it until the next morning. He pulled it out, peering at it over a hair of the dog – it had been a good night. There was a name on it, a police department, and a service number that made him put down the glass in his hand.

A couple of phone calls later, his headache had taken a back seat. By noon, Frank was sure someone was pulling his leg. By mid-afternoon, he’d been given clearance and access to files about a place called Ettersburg in the 1940s.

Twenty-four hours after Nightingale handed him the card, he phoned the Folly for the first time. 

“I’m looking for Thomas Nightingale,” he said.

There was a click on the other end of the phone being set down. Five minutes later, he heard footsteps approaching.

“Mr. Caffrey.” Nightingale didn’t sound surprised. “I expect you have some questions.”

Frank snorted in disbelief. “What the hell are you?”

To his surprise, Nightingale laughed. “Ah. The easy one. This may be an interview better conducted face-to-face.” He was silent for a moment. “Tomorrow, ten o’clock. There are some things that are better dealt with in person.”

It was only much later that Frank started to wonder how Nightingale knew he wouldn’t say no.


End file.
